Chef Steve Ross: The Q Bar and Kitchen is “going to do some great things.” Q Bar and Kitchen3 Clifton St. in Fair Haven HeightsNew HavenOpen Wed-Fri 4-11 p.m.; Sat 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; closed Mon-Tues. Hot oil sang a rain-like melody from the deep fryer at the Q Bar and Kitchen, promising crispy, crunchy goodness to come. Manning the station was Steve Ross, who has been the head chef there since the Fair Haven Heights waterfront restaurant reopened in August. He was making “The Q Sampler,” a deal inviting diners to choose three items from the starters and get a half portion of each. This time, he would serve up honey lemon pepper wings, buffalo shrimp, and steak and cheese egg rolls, a crowd favorite. In another universe, Ross might be the one writing this article (and I wouldn’t complain about a swapped destiny as a chef). For a brief point in time in his younger years, he wrote for the now-defunct alternative weekly newspaper the New Haven Advocate. Writing didn’t stick; cooking did. “It kinda chose me,” he said, pouring heavy cream into a long container alongside a similarly shaped container of crumbly powder. He combined the two for a wet batter to coat a batch of soon-to-be-buffalo shrimp. When I asked Ross how long he’s been cooking, he replied, “It’s all I know.” It started at a Burger King on Dixwell Avenue when Ross was 16. Then he worked at a variety of restaurants in Downtown New Haven, finally opening his own at age 29: Cast Iron Soul, which fed the Hill for seven years, followed by a short run of a spot called the Smokin Skillet. When a friend opened Jazzy’s Cabaret in Ninth Square, Ross helped start up the kitchen there before landing his current jobs as the executive chef at Quinnipiac University and head chef of Q Bar and Kitchen. Making the wet batter for shrimp. Ross seasoned his wings to generous lemon pepper perfection before using a bowl to toss them in the air a few times. It was a one-handed technique he performed with no hesitation. He didn’t need to look to see he didn’t drop a single crumb. Then he gathered up a small bed of salad leaves and turned his attention back to the buffalo shrimp. Ross’s secret sauce? His team. “They allow me to do what I do,” he said, describing a busy day bouncing back and forth in the kitchen. Chefs Daequan “Quan” Matthews, Terrell “Chef T” Martin, and Donald Howard, along with Ross, comprise a well-oiled machine, keeping the whole operation humming. “Everybody brings a piece,” he said of his kitchen crew’s individual skill sets. “They complement each other well.” Matthews, Martin, and Howard show true commitment to the work, and in turn Ross makes sure they have what they need. Someone on the team might ask him, for example, to grab a Monster energy drink on his way to work. And Ross is experienced enough to know how far that simple gesture can go. Seasoning the wings. Honey lemon pepper wings get some air time. The sizzling depths of the fryer produced a golden-brown treasure: two substantial egg rolls, each filled with a juicy helping of steak and cheese. They were destined to join the honey lemon pepper and buffalo spices on the plate, along with lemon slices and chopped parsley, for a multi-stop ticket to flavortown. The Q Sampler itself is a product of the team’s coordination, originally the brainchild of Matthews, “Chef Quan.” Matthews texted the concept to a kitchen-wide group chat, and Ross got to work walking the team through a proposed execution. It says a lot to me that the crew feels confident proposing ideas right in the chat. When I asked Ross what it takes to get a proposal from dreamspace to the menu, he described running it by co-owner Allia Graham, who operates the business along with her father Oliver Graham, and coming up with a regular way to make the item. What’s important, Ross said, is consistency. If a guest likes a particular dish, you want to be able to give them that same experience the next time they order. Shaping the greens. Positioning the greens. The dish wasn’t done when its components were. There was still the artistic task of presentation. Ross took care to arrange the three starters in harmony, cutting each egg roll at a sharp diagonal and standing up one of the halves on the plate for a flattering composition that took the viewer’s eye to different levels. Likewise, even his toss of chopped parsley was subject to scrutiny. When he saw some of the herbs had stuck together in a slight clump, he pinched them up again and scattered them for better distribution. Now 46, Ross is turning his focus toward other chefs and restauranteurs, drawing from decades of experience to uplift future greats. He doesn’t have to look far; Allia, for example, is one of those up-and-coming talents. “Allia’s doing a great job as a leader,” he said. She is new to the business but handling the role with grace, he explained, incorporating event planning into the restaurant’s concept and staying open to new ideas. Ross helps by supplying tips gathered over the course of a well-seasoned career. “I’m really creative at making mistakes,” Ross said—like a culinary Mr. Worldwide, he’s been there, done that. Dále. Now, Ross underscores the importance of professionalism at work. Running a kitchen can be exciting, but the fun can’t override responsibility. “Use your training,” he advised other chefs in the game, noting the ServSafe badge is “not just a certificate.” Even details like a clean uniform and a friendly demeanor make a difference, Ross said. It’s more than how you present yourself to guests; it’s about making the effort to take yourself seriously. When Ross spoke of his priorities in the kitchen, he couldn’t help bringing it back to his stellar crew. “I coach the team, support them” he said, “and help them achieve their goals.” “I want to help people and give back,” Ross said. He got a lot out of his years in the restaurant business, including great relationships, good food, and life lessons. And most fitting, for a chef: “It allowed me to feed myself and my family the last 20 years.” Chopping parsley. Finishing touches. The post Chef Ross Finds His Wings appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less